Julian Nagelsmann demanded Bayern Munich improve on last season s quarter-final exit from the Champions League after they concluded their group-stage campaign by beating Inter 2-0.
Bayern finished Group C with a 100 per cent winning record after goals from Benjamin Pavard and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting downed the Nerazzurri at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday.
The Bundesliga champions are the first team to win all six group games in two consecutive Champions League campaigns, as well as the first to do so on three occasions (also 2019-20).
Nagelsmann s side suffered a surprise elimination against Villarreal in the last eight back in April, and the Bayern boss says their efforts this term will count for little if they fall short again.
We ve had a very good gro…
England s players will discuss whether to take the knee ahead of their World Cup fixtures before Monday s Group B opener against Iran, says Conor Coady.
The vast majority of Premier League players took the knee in a show of solidarity with those facing racial discrimination at the end of the 2019-20 season and throughout the two following campaigns.
England continued with the gesture at Euro 2020 last year, and were jeered for doing so by Hungary supporters ahead of a Nations League defeat in Budapest this June.
Asked whether the Three Lions would take the knee before their matches in Qatar, Coady said Gareth Southgate s squad were yet to discuss the issue but would soon do so.
At the minute, it s not something we ve spoken about as a team yet. I think w…
Chelsea should be fighting for the Premier League title under Maurizio Sarri this season, according to Ashley Cole.
The 2016-17 champions have started the campaign in strong fashion, following up a 3-0 win away at Huddersfield Town with a 3-2 victory at home to Arsenal.
Cole, who was part of Chelsea s title-winning side of 2009-10, thinks his old club should be aiming to topple Manchester City this term, even if many do not feel they are clear candidates.
Chelsea have gone about their business a little bit quiet in terms of having a new manager, the LA Galaxy full-back said to ESPN FC.
They should be fighting for the title, but I don t think people are [thinking that way] at the minute. To get six points from two games, it s a fantastic start. They ve …
Unai Emery stressed his aim heading into the new year is to get better after Aston Villa concluded their “really fantastic” 2023 with a 3-2 home victory over Burnley.
Douglas Luiz notched the winner against the 10-man Clarets with an 89th-minute penalty as Villa moved level on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool, ahead of the Reds hosting Newcastle on New Year’s Day.
It was the midland outfit’s 26th top-flight win of 2023 and a club-record 32nd victory in all competitions across the calendar year.
And boss Emery, when asked if he thought 2024 could be even better, said: “Always the idea is to improve and get better.
“It was really fantastic, the year we did – but I’m very excited for the next match.
“We have 42 points an…
Lionel Messi is set to make the 800th senior appearance of his illustrious club career after being named in Paris Saint-Germain s squad to face Nantes.
The Argentina maestro is joined by Neymar in Mauricio Pochettino s 22-man travelling party for the trip to Stade de la Beaujoire, where the Ligue 1 leaders would move 16 points clear at the top with victory on Saturday.
Should he feature, as would be expected, Messi will reach the latest milestone of his glittering career, over 17 years after Frank Rijkaard handed him his Barcelona debut against Espanyol in October 2004.
The seven-time Ballon d Or winner would make his 22nd appearance for PSG since joining from Barca on a free transfer, having scored seven times so far.
Messi, the Blaugrana s record …
The United States must tackle some concerning mentality issues, which are to blame for their defeat to Canada.
That is the view of interim coach Mikey Varas, who has few answers for solving the problem.
USA were beaten 2-1 by Canada in Kansas City on Saturday, in their first game of the post-Gregg Berhalter era.
It marked Canada s first victory on US soil in 67 years.
And while Mauricio Pochettino reportedly waits in the wings to take over the Stars and Stripes, Varas hit out at the team s mentality.
The mentality is on the players. They know it, he told reporters.
We speak the truth to each other. I love those guys. But they know that mentality to fight, to run and to sacrifice, I can t do that for them. That s on them.
I m not…
Leah Williamson is back in the England squad for the first time since recovering from injury.
The 26-year-old, who has won 46 caps and captained the Lionesses to Euro 2022 glory, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury last April and missed the World Cup, but returned to action with Arsenal recently and gets the call-up from Sarina Wiegman.
The are back.
— Lionesses (@Lionesses)
Millie Bright and Bethany England are out injured while there is no room for Nikita Parris despite a good run of form for Manchester United.
…
Chelsea have completed the signing of Benoit Badiashile from Monaco.
Badiashile has signed a seven-and-a-half-year contract after Chelsea paid a fee reportedly in the region of €38million (£33.7m).
The 21-year-old centre-back has been a regular in Monaco s defence since breaking into the first team in the 2018-19 season.
Chelsea were keen to improve their options in defence, with a left-sided player coveted following Antonio Rudiger s move to Real Madrid.
Welcome to Chelsea, Benoit Badiashile!
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
The Blues reportedly wanted to sign Josko Gvardiol, who starred for Croatia at the World Cup, but were unable to agree a fee with RB Leipzig.
Chelsea signed Wesley Fofana for £75m in August, but the former L…
Joao Felix scored his first Champions League goal as Atletico Madrid kept pace with Juventus in Group D with a 2-0 victory at Lokomotiv Moscow.
The Portuguese forward converted a rebound from his own shot in the 48th minute to put the Spanish side on course for all three points after encountering stubborn resistance from their hosts in Russia.
Joao Felix – selected in an attacking XI that also included both Diego Costa and Alvaro Morata – was also involved in Atletico s second, scored by Thomas Partey.
Lokomotiv had played possum to perfection against Bayer Leverkusen last time out in Europe, enjoying just 22 per cent possession yet still managing to squeeze out a 2-1 win on the road.
They unsurprisingly opted to do the same again despite havin…
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Marking the final Premier League meeting between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, Liverpool and Manchester City, the only two teams to have won the title in the last six seasons, will do battle for the top spot at Anfield on Sunday.
With only a point separating the two sides, there s no real need to explain the competitive significance of the clash, particularly as Arsenal sit a point behind second-place City, almost guaranteeing a thrilling race down to the final round.
Liverpool
Having had an unusually poor 2022/23 campaign, Liverpool are currently involved in the Europa League, rather than the Champions League, and they welcome City on the back of a 5-1 victory over Sparta in Prague in the first leg of their encounter in t…